The Aftermath

The polls closed at 10pm. Some County Council counts began immediately. Most start this morning. Results can be followed on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/europe/2009/election_09/default.stm

The Reshuffle within the Government is now underway - up to date coverage is available at

BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/default.stm

Sky News: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Politics

Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/

10 Downing Street: http://www.number10.gov.uk/

Election Day

The sun is already up, and its a beautiful morning outside. There's some very thin, very high cloud - but the sun is shining. As soon as I have written this post - and checked my email - I will quickly get ready for a very long day ahead.

The polls open at 7.00am. We moved from Rugby to Milton Keynes just over a month ago. I am now registered to vote at our new address - so will be outside the polling station - perhaps to be the first in. No one is expecting the long queues which I saw in Alexandria, Virginia last November. Once I've voted - and as Milton Keynes is a unitary authority - there is no local vote to cast. In England County Councils are being elected. I will however cast my vote in the European Elections. Unlike all other elections in England, my vote will not be for an individual - but for a party list. Seats will be allocated, on a broadly proportional basis, according to the votes cast for each party. Milton Keynes is (just) in the South East Region.

As soon as I have voted, I will make my way into the region in which I am the fourth placed name on the Labour Party list. The East Midlands extends from just three miles from my home (the Milton Keynes/Northamptonshire border), up to the outskirts of Sheffield. Its western border is with Warwickshire - and is pretty close to the geographical centre of England [some people say the centre is in Daventry, which is in the East Midlands itself - it depends how you calculate the "centre"]. It is made up of the counties of Derbyshire; Nottinghamshire; Lincolnshire; Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.

I expect to spend the day in Leicester. The city has three Labour held parliamentary seats. As it too is a unitary authority, there are no county elections. Just outside the city, such elections are being held - I'm particularly interested in the elections in the current parliamentary constituency of Blaby, which I stood for in the 2001 and 2005 General Elections. Braunstone Town borders Leicester City - and is held by Labour.

Polls close at 10pm. During the day I'll be involved in the GOTV (Get Out The Vote) activities. With all the current turmoil in British politics it should be an interesting day. Once polls have closed I'll drive home. Tomorrow county council votes will be counted and results announced. European Parliament votes will not be counted until Sunday, after all polling stations across the European Union have closed. I'll be back in Leicester for my count.

You can follow the days events via the BBC

National: http://news.bbc.co.uk/

Leicester: http://www.bbc.co.uk/leicester/news/

Northampton: http://www.bbc.co.uk/northamptonshire/news/

Derby: http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/news/

Nottingham: http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/news/

Lincolnshire: http://www.bbc.co.uk/lincolnshire/news/

The Labour Party's website is: - http://www.labour.org.uk/

and the East Midlands Labour Team: http://www.eastmidslabour.org.uk/?PageId=b39af385-51f5-7e04-215f-f24d53b021f9

Reforming Westminster

Recent events have exposed some of the weaknesses of the current political system operating at Westminster - and brought the idea of major constitutional reform to the centre of debate. Washminster will follow this debate closely.

The starting point must be Lord Acton's comment that "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

In the UK we tend to concentrate on the latter part of the quote - congratulating ourselves that no one is given absolute power. The Magna Carta in 1215 established that no one was above the law, even the King has limited power. When the Stuart monarchs overstepped the mark - they were removed (In 1649 Charles I was tried and executed; and at the 'Glorious Revolution', James II was "run out of town" by Parliament and the 'Bill of Rights' passed). There is significant separation of powers at the very core of the British constitutional system.

But the first part of the quote is just as important. The possession of Power itself holds dangers. Human nature is flawed. We can easily convince ourselves that what is in our own interest is also in the interest of others. We can "cut corners" and become blind to the wrongfulness of our behaviour. It is significant that many MPs defending their actions have stressed that they acted within the rules in making their claims - apparently unaware of how appalling their behaviour appears to everyone else. History is full of abuses of power.

The answer is to set up checks and balances to counter this natural tendency. The US Constitution is built on that principle. Separation of powers is crucial because, as Montesquieu argues, when one person has a hand in all three branches of government, tyranny will ensue. The exercise of power needs to be transparent and there must be accountability. Those who take decisions must be answerable for them. That's why I am an advocate of powerful parliamentary committees able to demand explanations. Only when there is a culture of accountability can lessen the opportunity for the abuse of power.

Over the coming weeks, this blog will discuss many of the reforms that could build on the strengths of the Westminster system, whilst adressing the weaknesses. I hope you'll engage in this important debate.

Freedom of Passage to the House of Parliament

Earl Ferrers will today ask Her Majesty’s Government "whether the House’s sessional order relating to the freedom of passage to the Houses of Parliament, made on 3 December 2008, has been fully implemented."

A similar question was asked in November 2000, when the Leader of the House replied -

"The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has accepted without qualification that it is the duty of the Metropolitan Police to implement in full the terms of the sessional order to ensure that passage through the streets leading to this House is kept clear and open for the duration of this Parliament.

While I recognise the right of individuals to demonstrate and to lobby their members of Parliament, I do not consider it acceptable to prevent noble Lords from performing their duties in this House.

I receive regular reports from Black Rod, and the Commissioner has assured me, through Black Rod, that his officers will do everything necessary to ensure that the business of both Houses of Parliament is not hindered by disturbances in the streets."

Sessional Orders are passed at the start of each session (after the Queen's Speech). A report on sessional orders was produced by the Commons Procedure Committee in 2003, and it deals with access to parliament. It is available at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200203/cmselect/cmproced/855/855.pdf

Recent demonstarations - particularly by Sri Lankans - where the roads around Westminster have been brought to a complete standstill - have led to much concern.

Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

Some attribute the phrase above to the British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Certainly it was popularised in the USA (and beyond) by Mark Twain. In the House of Lords today Lord Hamilton of Epsom is due to ask a "Question for Short Debate" which will "ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to secure confidence in the use of Government statistics".

There has been concern about statistics for some time. An interesting paper relevant to the issue was published by the House of Commons Library as background to the Statistics and Registration Service Bill - an attempt to address some of the concerns.http://www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/rp2006/rp06-066.pdf

The website for UK Government statistics is http://www.statistics.gov.uk/hub/index.html